‘Superbug’ found in second LA hospital

Four more people in Los Angeles have contracted an antibiotic-resistant superbug at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center that’s been linked to a medical scope.

One has died from their underlying condition, the hospital said; 71 other patients who had similar procedures are being tested for the bug “out of an abundance of caution.”

This is the second outbreak of a deadly superbug known as CRE in less than a month; seven patients were infected with the bug at a UCLA hospital after undergoing endoscopic procedures two weeks ago. Two died.

The sickened patients all had procedures using the same Olympia Corp. duodenoscope between August of last year and January. “Cedars-Sinai removed the particular duodenoscope from use and is continuing to use enhanced disinfection procedures for duodenoscopes – above and beyond the manufacturer’s recommendations,” they said.

CNN reported Thursday that the endoscopes used in the UCLA hospital procedures that killed two people were never approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Olympus began selling the duodenoscope in question in 2010, but the FDA only recently noticed the company had never asked for clearance to sell it, an FDA official told the network. Olympus said they didn’t think they needed permission, but would now seek approval.